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From WM. B. TOWNE, Milfurd, N. II. 



J' 




Bern Oct 12'>:b10^ 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS, 



DELIVERED IN THE TOWN HALL, 



AT AMHERST, JANUARY 19, 1874, 



ON THE OCCASION OF THE 



HUNDEEDTH ANNIVERSARY 



Being an historical sketch of the territory embraced in the first parish in 

Milford, an account of the origin of the parish, then a part 

of Amherst, the organization of the church, 

and the services of its ministers. 



BY WILLIAM B. TOWNE, A. M., 

Member of the New England Historic, Genealogical Society, corresponding 
member of the New York Historical Society, the Penn- 
sylvania Historical Society, and the state 
Historical Society of Wisconsin. 




CONCORD, N. H.: 

PRINTED BY THE REPUBLICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION. 

1874. 



a little later, an enactment " to the end that learning may not 
be buried in the graves of our forefathers, every township, after 
the Lord hath increased them to the number of fifty house- 
holders, shall appoint one to teach all cliildren to write and 
read ; and where any town shall increase to the number of one 
hundred families, they shall set up a Grammer school, — the 
masters thereof being able to instruct youth, so far as they may 
be fitted for the University."* Here we have a distinct recog- 
nition of the idea of education for tlie whole people. In these 
measures, says the historian,! "especially in the laAvs establish- 
ing common schools, lies the secret of the success and character 
of New England. Every child, as it was born into the world, 
was lifted from the earth by the genius of the country, and in 
the statutes of the land received, as its birthright, a pledge of 
the public care of its morals and its mind." 

Within thirty years of their settlement we find this people 
surveying land, and laying out farms in the valley of the Souhe- 
gan, regarding it as within their province. And such a conclusion 
was not strange. Gosnold, Pring, Waymouth,^ and Smith, || 
of Virginia fame, — an escaped Turkish slave, whose life seems 
to have belonged more to a mythical age than to that century, — 
with others of less celebrity in the mother country, had explored 
the coast, its bays and its rivers ; but of the interior but little 

* Colonial Laws 74, 186. 

t Bancroft's History of the United States, vol. 1, p. 459. 

I Waymouth entered the Penobscot or Kennebec river, and in a shallop, brought in 
pieces out of England, ascended not much less than three score miles, and kidnapped 
and carried away five of tlie natives. " One, standing before, carried our bo.x of mer- 
chandise, as we were wont when I went to traffic with them, and a platter of pease, 
which meat they loved; but before we were landed, one of them, being so suspiciously 
fearful of his own good, withdrew himself into the wood. The other two met us on 
the shore side to receive the pease, with whom we went up the cliff to their tire, and 
sat down with them; and while we were discussing how to catch the third man that 
was gone, 1 opened the bo.\ and shew them trifles to exchange, thinking thereby to 
have banished fear from the otlier, and draw him to return. I?ut when we could not 
we used little delay, but suddenly laid h^nds upon them, and it was as much as five or 
six of us could do to get them into the light horseman (boat); for they were strong, and 
so naked as our best hold was by their long hair on their heads." — Mass. Hist. Coll., 
vol. 28, p. 144-5. 

II Smith made a rude map of the coast, superior, perhaps, to any that had preceded it, 
and was the first to give the country the name of New England. He declared that 
" truth was more than wealth, and industrious subjects more available to a king than 
gold." 



was known, Tlie marvellous accounts of the explorers, and the 
religious condition of the country favored colonization ; and be- 
tween 1621 and 1G31, including both years, there were not less 
than twenty charters granted for the purpose of settlement or 
commerce on tlie coast of New England.* The grant of Capt. 
John Mason, in 1622, extended on the coast from where the wa- 
ters of the Naurakeag discharge themselves into the ocean to 
the river Merrimack, extending inland to the sources of these 
streams. The same year Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges 
obtained a grant from the Merrimack to the Kennebec river, 
bounded by the ocean, and extending back to the great river of 
Canada. In 1G28 Sir Henry Roswell and others received a grant, 
in width from three miles north of the Men-imack river to 
three miles south of the Charles, bounded on the Atlantic, and 
extending back to the western ocean ; and it was under this 
grant that the Massachusetts settlers held their possessions. 

The next year, 1629, John Mason received a grant extending 
" from the middle of Piscataqua river and up the same to the 
farthest head thereof, and from thence north-westward, until six- 
ty miles from the mouth of the harbor were finished; also 
through Merrimack river to the farthest head thereof, and so 
forward up into the land westward until sixty miles were fin- 
ished ; and from thence to cross overland to the end of the sixty 
miles accounted from the Piscataqua river; together with all 
islands within five leagues of the coast." f Now it is obvious 
that grants so profuse and inconsistent could not all stand, and 
out of the two last mentioned grew the controversy between 
New Hampshire and Massachusetts, which lasted nearly a cen- 
tury, and Avas renowned for its acrimony and bitterness. A 
generation passed away, a new generation took it up, and thus 
it was carried along till terminated by royal authority. I have 
already stated that within thirty years of their arrival the in- 
habitants of the Massachusetts colony were surveying land and 
laying out farms in the valley o£ the Souhegan. Witliin the 
period mentioned, settlements had extended up to Groton and 
Chelmsford. From 1655 to 1665 the country was at peace with 

*Palfrey's History of New England, vol. 1, pp. 397-8. 
t Farmer's edition of Belknap, p. 8. 



6 

the aborigines, and the tide of population rolled onward rapidly. 
In addition to those on the Souhegan, grants were made on both 
sides of" the Merrimack river, on the Nashua rivei', on Salmon 
brook, on Penichuck pond, on Penichuck brook, and in other 
localities, and, with their continuance, the grantees, and those 
who desired to settle on the farms granted, felt the need of the 
privileges and immunities of an incorporated township. In ac- 
cordance therewith, in 1673, they petitioned the General Court 
and Avere incorporated, the township being named Dunstable,* 
and deriving its name from Dunstable in England, some of the 
proprietors being from that place. It must have been some- 
thing like fifteen miles from its eastern to its western boundary, 
and more than twelve miles from its northern to its southern, as 
it embraced the city of Nashua, the towns of Hudson, Hollis, 
Tj'ngsborough, all of Amherst that lies south of the Souhegan, 
all of Milford on the same side of that river, except a strip a 
mile in width on the west side of the town, contiguous to the 
towns of Wilton and Mason, all of Merrimack on the same side 
of the same river, most of the town of Litchfield, and portions 
of the towns of Londonderry, Pelham, Brookline, Pepperell, 
and Townsend. At this time the north-western corner of the 
county of Middlesex, Massachusetts, was on the south bank of 
the Souhegan river, a few rods below the bridge recently erected 
east of the Pine Valley Corporation, and the county maintained 
its jurisdiction till 1741, when the boundary line between 
Massachusetts and New Hampshire was determined, severing 
Dunstable, and bringing about two thirds of the township 

*The following; year the plantation was surveyed and its boundaries were as follows: 
" It lietli upon both sides Merrimack river on the Nashua river. It is bounded on the 
south by Chelmsl'ord, by Grotonline, and partly by country land. The westerly line runs 
due uorth until you come to Souhegan river, to a hill called Dram-cup hill, to a great 
plue near to the said river at the north-west corner of Charlestown school farm, bound- 
ed by Souhegan river on the north; and on the east side of the Merrimack it begins at 
a great stone which was supposed to be near the north-east corner of Mr. Breuton's 
farm, and from thence it runs south-south-east six miles to a pine tree marked F, stand- 
ing within sight of Beaver brook; then(;e it runs two degrees west of south four miles 
and a quarter, which reached to the south side of Henry Kimball's farm at Jeremie's 
hill; thence from the south-east angle of said farm it runs two degrees and a quarter 
westward of the south near to the head of the long pond which lieth at the head of 
Edward Colburn's farm. And thus it is bounded by the said pond and tlie head of said 
Colburn's farm, taking in Captain Scarlett's farm so as to close again; all of which is 
sufficiently bounded and described, — Proprietor's Records, 



within the jurisdiction of New Hampshire. This was very dis- 
tasteful to many; nevertlieless, with the settlement of the prov- 
ince line there was an improved condition of things. 

Confidence was strengthened, the tide of settlers moved on- 
ward, real property was in demand, and with the increase of 
population petitions were numerous for a division of the New 
Hampshire part of old Dunstable. Accordingly, in Ajjril, 1746, 
the legislature of New Hampshire divided it, incorporating the 
new town of Dunstable,* also Hollis, Merrimack, and 

MONSON. 

This last named town embraced within its limits most of the 
present populous part of Milford on the south side of the Souhe- 
gan river, all of Amherst on the same side of that river, and a por- 
tion of the north-west part of Hollis. Col. Joseph Blanchardf 
was authorized to call the first meeting of the inhabitants, Avhich 
was held May 1, only thirty days after the date of the act of in- 
corporation. At a subsequent meeting, held on the 27th of the 
same month, Col. Joseph Blanchard, James Wheeler, and Rob- 
ert Colburn were chosen a committee " to make the bound be- 
tween the town of Hollis and the town of Monson." At the 
same meeting it was also voted "that there be a pound created 
and built near to the house of William Nevins upon the most 
convenient piece of ground." The following petition from the 
inhabitants was presented to the general assembly of New 
Hampshire, under date of May 13, 1747. "The petition of the 
inhabitants of the town of Monson, hereto subscribers, humbly 

*In 1837 thfi name was changed to Nashua. In 1842 the town was divided, and the 
north portion incorporated by the name of Nashville. In 1853 Nashville and Nashua 
were consolidated and chartered as the city of Nashua. 

t Col. Joseph Blanchard was son of Capt. Joseph and Abiah (Hassell) Blanchard ; was 
born at Dunstable Feb. 11, 1704; married llebecca Hubbard; was an accomplished land 
surveyor, and for several years was agent of the Masonian proprietors; was in 1740, by 
mandamus, appointed one of the councillors of New HampsTiire, which position he sus- 
tained till his death; commanded a regiment in the French war, and was in 1755 sta- 
tioned at Fort Edward, Washington county, New Vork, one company of his command 
being the famous Kogers rangers ; was also judge of the superior court from 1749 to 1758. 
He died April 7, 1758, and his widow April 17, 1774. They had thirteen children, among 
whom was Augustus Blanchard, Esq., who died in 31ilford in 1809, having been clerk of 
the south-west parish ten years, town clerk for the tirst ten years alter the town was in- 
corporated, and a representative of the town to the general court. 



8 

slieweth, that the said town is lately begun to settle, and but 
about fifteen families tliere ; that they are one of the frontier 
towns west of iMerriniack river, and the most northerly one al- 
ready incorporated lying between Ilollis and the new plantation 
called Souhegan West; that could we be assisted by soldiers, 
such competent number as might enable us to defend ourselves, 
shall cheerfully endeavor to stay there, by which we shall serve 
as a barrier in part to HoUis, Merrimack, and Dunstable ; that 
the last year we were favored by soldiers from Massachusetts* 
that prevented or drawing off; that should the war be j^ur- 
sued by the enemy as vigorously as -last year (unless we are 
favored by some assistance from the government), we humbly 
apprehend it would be too great presumption to venture our- 
selves and families there ; that it will be very ruinous to your 
petitioners to leave their settlements and tlie frontier widened, 
and for a necessary defence will require a greater number of 
soldiers than to assist us there. Wherefore your petitioners 
pray that a guard for two garrisons and a small scout on our 
front may be granted to us. James Wheeler, William Nevens, 
William Colburn, Robert Colburn, Jonathan Taylor, Samuel Le- 
man, Samuel Leman, jr., Abraham Leman, Thomas Nevens, 
Benjamin Hopkins, Isaac Farwell, Stephen Haselton, John 
Burns, Thomas Murdow." 

Upon the foregoing petition, and a similar one from Souhegan 
West, the assembly gave orders for enlisting or impressing fif- 
teen good effective men, under proper officers, to scout and 
guard Souhegan West and Monson till the twenty-third day of 
October next if need be, and that said men be shifted once a 
month. 

In 1748, Dunstable, Merrimack, Hollis, Nottingham, and Mon- 
son united in the choice of a representative to the general as- 
sembly, the session to be holden at Portsmouth on the third day 
of the next January. The town this year voted to raise £60 
old tenor for the use of highways, "one half to be done in June, 
at twenty shillings per day for a man and eight shillings per day 



*It seems from the tenor of this petition tliat Massacliusetts granted military aid to 
this infant settlement five years after it had been adjudged within the jurisdiction of 
New Hampshire. 



for a pair of oxen ; the otlicr lialf to be done in September, at 
fifteen sliillings per day for a man, and the same price as in June 
for a pair of oxen." 

In 1749 the annual meeting was at the house of Mr. Tliomas 
Nevins. Tlie fifth article in the warrant was "to see if the town 
will agree to tax the lands within the whole township for the 
use of preaching." At the meeting the town voted to dismiss 
this article. At the same meeting a road two rods wide 
was laid out from opposite Souhegan bridge, commonly called 
Lyon's bridge,* up the river through the farms of Madam Tall- 
er, Col. Joseph Blanchard, Benjamin Hopkins, and others. f 

1750. At the annual meeting this year, Benjamin Hopkins, 
Robert Colburn, and Nathan Hutchinson were chosen a com- 
mittee to adjust the boundary line between Monson and HoUis, 
and the town again declined to tax the lands within the whole 
township for the support of preaching. 

1751. " Voted that the road from Nathan Hutchinson's land 
to Mr. Ho] (kins' house be discontinued, or shut np for a time, 
without the inhabitants please to put np good gates or good 
bandy bars." 

1753. At the annual meeting this year the second article in 
the warrant was "to see if the town would raise a sum of money 
for a school ; the third, to see if it would tax the lands for build- 
ing a meeting-house; and the fourth, to raise money for the sup- 
port of highways," — all of which articles were decided in the 
negative. The boundary line between the town and Hollis 
seems not to have been settled, as at this meeting the matter 
was referred to the selectmen. 

The following petition, in substance, was presented to the 
general assembly of New Hampshire by the selectmen : — 
"Whereas, the inhabitants of Monson have received a late 
order to render into tlie oftice of the secretary of state an 
invoice of their polls and estates in order for apportioning the 

*In the early settlement of the country the bridge over the river near the Amherst 
railroad station was called Lyon's bridge, and derived its name from Ebenezer Lyon, 
who lived near it as early as 1748, and who died in 1798, aged 88 years. 

t Widow Abagail Tailer, of Boston, at this time owned a farm of 300 acres in the 
neighborhood of the East Milford railroad flag station, Col. Joseph Blanchard another 
between that and where the present village in Itlili'ord is now located, and Benjamiu 
Hopkins owned the Charlestown school farm. 



10 

taxes, Avliich we liave done, and would further beg leave to re- 
monstrate our infancy and inability to bear any part of the pub- 
lic burden at present ; that there is but thirty-six polls in the 
whole, several of them being transiently hired to labor for a 
short space of time ; that there are but twenty-one houses, chief- 
ly small cottages, only for a present shelter, the charge of build- 
ing yet to come ; that the householders are all plain men, 
dwelling in tents, husbanding their employments, their im- 
provements very small, their lands unsubdued, their progress 
much retarded by their necessity to Avork out of town during 
tlie prime of the year, or at other business to procure provisions, 
and, though the town is a part of old Dunstable, it has till now 
been a portion and remained a total wilderness; that till within 
a few years the owners were under no obligation to settle the 
lands that were very recently granted to gentlemen in farms, 
by which means the few settlers are scattered all about the 
town, and that much labor has and must be spent in opening 
and making roads, bridges, &c., that are of present necessity a 
burden too lieavy for the small, weak number that is there; that 
in the late war they were at the expense of garrisoning, scouting, 
and defending themselves, besides many other charges they 
must have and must go through ; so therefore apprehend them- 
selves utterly unable to bear any part of the public taxes as yet; 
but hope their small beginning in time may become useful, if 
they may be nursed and favored now in their infancy. Where- 
fore your petitioners pray that they may be considered in their 
infant and chargeable state, and that they may not be taxed till 
they are of ability to go througli their own necessary charge, 
and when that shall be, they will cheerfully contribute accord- 
ing to their power." 

1754. This year John Shepard,* William Peabody, Andrew 
Bradford, Israel Towne, Archelaus Williams, Richard Gould, 
Thomas Williams, John Hutchinson, John Edmonds, and others, 

♦John Shepard then resided within the present limits of the village in Milford,onthe 
north side of Souhegan river, wliere Mr. John Marvell now lives; William Peabody on 
the old Peabody farm, farther up the river on tlie same side, late the property of the 
late T T. Farnsworth and Israel Towne, within tlie present limits of Amherst, on the 
farm owned by Abel and Frank W. Chase. The iirayer of the petitioners would have 
annexed to Monson a strip of territory about seven miles in length by two in width, 
and would have included nearly the whole of Amherst plain. 



11 

petitioned the governor and council to be annexed to Monson. 
They represented themselves substantially as inhabitants of a 
tract of land north of and adjoining Monson, lying within no in- 
corporation, town, or district; that the town of Monson is situ- 
ated in length, east and west, near eight miles, in breadth but 
about four miles, and is bounded on the northerly side by Sou- 
hegan river, both sides of which river are generally fruitful and 
profitable land for corn and grass ; that if the town of Monson 
were enlarged on the north so as to add and include the follow- 
ing tract of land — beginning at the north-east corner of Monson, 
on Souhegan river, and running north by the line of Merrimack 
two miles, then begin the west station at the north-west corner 
of Monson and run thence north two miles, then in a straight 
line to the end of the two miles first mentioned — which would 
be an addition of about seven thousand acres, and would make 
the town about five and one half miles in width generally ; that 
the said river is small ; that many bridges are now and must 
continue to be kept in repair, so that the river is no incon- 
venience to this union ; that it will be for the accommodation of 
Monson, and that several of the petitioners have for many 
years been settled here, and have made their improvements at 
heavy expense ; that they have not had the benefit of any in- 
corporation in any town, nor do they see any present prospect 
of incorpoi'ation unless they are annexed to Monson. 

1755. At the annual meeting this year the question of taxing 
the land for building a meeting-house was again agitated, and 
again decided iit the negative. 

1756. At this annual meeting the question was again raised, 
and again decided in the negative, and an effort to raise a sum 
of money for a school part of the year was also decided in the 
negative. Before the close of the year, however, a special meet- 
ing was called to fix upon a place for locating the meeting-house, 
and it was decided to set it in the most convenient place, near 
the centre of the town.* 

1758. The annual meeting this year was held at the house of 
Archelaus Towne, innholder. The third article in the warrant 

♦Tradition points to a locality on the northerly slope of Duncklee hill as the place 
fixed upon, and it still retains the name of " the meeting-house lot." 



12 

was " to see if the town will vote to tax the lands of residents 
and non-residents for building a meeting-house," which question 
at the meeting was decided in the negative. The fifth article 
in said warrant was "to see if the town will come into any 
agreement with Capt. Shepard concerning the one half of his 
bridge, or allow him some satisfaction for the same." On this 
article it was voted to allow Capt. Shepard some satisfaction for 
one half of his bridge, and James Wheeler, Benjamin Ilerrick, 
and Nathan Hutchinson were chosen a committee to adjust 
the matter. At a subsequent meeting this year it was voted to 
raise £250 old tenor for the use of highways, £70 to pay Capt. 
Shepard for one half of his bridge over the river at his mill, and 
£1G to William Jones for plank put on said bridge. The £250 
for highways was never raised, the inhabitants at a later meet- 
ing reconsidering the vote. 

1759. Tlie town again voted not to tax the lands for building 
a meeting-house. Chose William Jones and Josiah Crosby to 
inspect the deer. 

1760. Voted to petition the governor and council of the 
province to set off or annex the land on the south side of Mon- 
son to Hollis, and to annex such part of Souhegan West to the 
remainder of Monson as will be sufficient to maintain the gos- 
pel, and other charges incident to towns. 

1761. Voted to raise £100 old tenor to defray town charges ; 
declined to tax the lands for building a meeting-house; voted to 
grant the petition of Hollis that a mile and one half, or there- 
abouts, be set off agreeable to the petition of said Hollis; and 
dismissed the article relative to fixing a place to locate the 
meeting-house. 

176o. Benjamin Hopkins, John Burns, Joseph Gould, John 
Burns, jr., Thomas Burns, and George Burns, at the annual 
meeting, protested against a division of the town. The voters, 
however, sustained their former position ; also, voted to raise 
£300 old tenor for the support of preaching; each person to pay 
their money where they hear. 

1764. Voted to sink the £300 old tenor raised last March for 
the support of preaching. The fourth article in the warrant 
this year was "to see if the town would agree to build a meet- 



13 

ing-hoase, and fix upon a place to set it," which artyjle was de- 
cided in the negative. The fifth was "to see if the town would 
raise a sum of money to hire preaching," which was also decided 
in the negative. The sixth was "to see if the town would raise 
a sum of money in order to make satisfaction to the towns of 
Hollis and Amherst for the privilege of worshipping with them." 
For this purpose it was voted to raise £400 old tenor. The 
seventh article was "to see if the town would provide one or 
more burial-places in the town," which article was dismissed* 
The tenth article was "to see if the town would be at the charge 
of making another road where Mr. Benjamin Hopkins has flowed 
the town road, or take a course of law with him for damages." 
Upon this article the town voted to take a course of law, and 
appointed the selectmen to prosecute the suit. On the 12th of 
September this year another town meeting was held, at which 
it was voted to build a meeting-house, to petition the general 
court for a tax upon the lands of residents and non-residents for 
building the same, and Benjamin Hopkins, Nathan Hntchinson, 
and Josiah Crosby were chosen a committee to carry the matter 
to the general court. 

17G5. At the annual meeting this j'^ear the fourth article in 
the M'arrant was " to see if the town will vote to tax the lands of 
residents and non-residents to build a meeting-house and settle a 
minister, and if not, to nullify and make void the former vote for 
that purpose." The proposition to erect a meeting-house and 
settle a minister was not sustained. The town this year voted 
to raise £250 old tenor to defray town charges. 

1767. The town voted this year that the money raised in the 
year 1764, and assessed for the towns of Hollis and Amherst, 
should not be collected. 

1769. The town declined to raise money for the support of 
highways. 

1770. On the ninth day of April a special meeting was called, 
when it was voted that the town be divided between Hollis and 
Amherst, both of these towns having assented to the arrange- 
ment. The division was as follows, viz. : Beginning at the 
north-east corner of Monson, and running south by the line of 
Merrimack two miles, then due west to the west line of Monson, 



14 



then nortlt to Souhegan river, then down said river to the 
bound first mentioned to be annexed to Amherst, the remainder 
to Ilollis. By this arrangement Amherst acquired its first ter- 
ritory on the south side of tlie Souhegan river. Tlie reason 
assigned fi^r a division in the petition of Monson* to the govern- 
or and council was, " that the hind in and about the centre of 
said Monson is so A-ery poor, barren, broken, and uneven, as can- 
not admit of many settlers, so that those families that are in 
town are almost all planted in the extreme parts of it. We 
therefore conceive that if a division were made, as above men- 
tioned, the interest and good of the people in it would be much 
promoted thereby, especially as we have no prospect of ever 
building a meeting-house, in the centre or elsewhere, any way, 
to accommodate us, by which difiiculty we think the gosi)el will 
not be settled amongst us while in the present situation." Thus 
was Monson blotted out, after an existence of twenty-four years. 
For the last tw^elve years of her continuance, her annual 



-TOWN CLERKS AND SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF MONSON. 



1746. 
1747. 
1748. 
1749. 
1750. 
1751. 
1752. 
17.53. 
1754. 
1755. 
1756. 
1757. 
1758. 
1759. 
1760. 
1761. 
1762. 
1763. 
1764. 
1765. 
1766. 
1767. 
1768. 
1769. 
1770. 



Town Clerk. 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Kenrick. 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
ArclielausTovvne, 
Archelaus I'owne, 
Archelaus Towne, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 



First Selectman. 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Keniick, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Kenrici:, 
Nathan Hutchinson 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 
Archelaus Towne, 
Archelaus Towne, 
Arclielaus Towne, 
Benjamin Kenrick, 



Second Selectman. 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
Benj. Hopkins, 
Robert Colburn, 
Robert Colburn, 
William Nevins, 
Robert Colburn, 
IJobert Colburn, 
Robert Nevins, 
Robert Colburn, 
John Brown, 
Benjamin Kenrick 
Jolin Blown, 
Jonathan Taylor, 
Benj. Hopkins, 
William Nevins, 
, William Nevins, 
Daniel Kenrick, 
Nat'n Hutchinson, 
William Nevins, 
William Nevins, 
Robert Colburn, 
Josiah Crosby, 
Joseph Gould, 
William Nevins, 



Tliird Selectman. 
William Nevins. 
William Nevins. 
Samuel Leman. 
Samuel Leman. 
Nathan Huichinson. 
Nathan Hutchinson. 
William Nevins. 
Benjamin Farley. 
"William Nevins. 
William Nevins. 
William Jones. 
, John Brown. 
William Nevins. 
Thomas Nevins. 
Benjiimin Kenrick. 
Natlian Hutcliinson. 
Robert Colburn. 
Josiah Crosby. 
William Nevins. 
Benjamin Kenrick. 
Natlian Hutchinson. 
Josiah Crosby. 
Daniel Kenrick. 
Thomas Burns. 
Josiah Crosby. 



15 

meetings were held at the house of Archelaus Towne * inn- 
holder. 

She had no public structure except a pound. She resolutely 
refused to raise money for the support of schools, and while she 
occasionally, at a special meeting, voted in favor of the first 
steps towards public religious instruction, at her annual meet- 
ings she invariably negatived such vote. A century has passed 
since her demise, and but for the recent findingf of a portion of 
her records, but few j^ersons of to-day would know that she ever 
existed. 

1771. Tlie harmony that prevailed last year, when annexation 
was so popular, was not of long continuance, for in January of 
this year about thirty of the most prominent of those tlint were 
last year annexed petitioned the governor and council for a 
division of Amherst. They recite in their petition, — "Tliat the 
town of Amherst is about nine miles in length, by reason that 
about half the town of Monson was of late annexed to it, and 
is capable of being divided into two towns or parishes without 
prejudice to or spoiling the same; that many of us live in that 
part of Amherst which was lately Monson, and our being an- 
nexed to said Amherst was contrary to our desire and interest ; 
that we are so remote from the centre of Amherst that it is, 
and ever will be, with great expense, inconvenience, and diffi- 
culty to us and our families to attend public worship, by reason 
of the distance ; that many of our estates are not so valuable 
by reason of our being annexed to Amherst, for before that our 

♦Archelaus Towne, son of Israel and Grace (Gardner) Towne, was born at Topsfield, 
Mass., in 17.34; came to Souhegau West with his father at the a{;e of about six jears; 
married Martha, born July 24, 1737, daughter of Ephraim Abbott. They resided in 
Monson, at what is now known as Dauforth's Corner, in Amheist, where he kept a tav- 
ern for several years. They had seven children. His wife died in 1773, after which he 
raised a company, took command of it, joined tlie continental army, and died at Fish- 
kill, N. y., in November, 1779. He was a man large of stature, of great physical 
strength and power ot endurance, fond of the hardship and excitement of frontier life, 
a natural leader, and one that commanded the confidence of his associates. — Narrative 
of Jonathan Towne, wh» died at Milford Dec. 31, 1842, in the 89th year of his age. 

tThe Hon. Samuel T. Worcester, of Nashua, being engaged in the preparation of an. 
article upon the early history of Hollis, was informed by his brother, tlie Hon. John N. 
Worcester, of Hollis, that there formerly existed, in the town clerk's office of that 
town, records relating to Monson. This led the former to procure the nearly worn out 
volume, have what remained of it bound, and put in condition to prevent further im- 
mediate waste. 



16 

situation was nigh the centre of Monson, and on that account 
purcliased our binds at a dear rate, and Monson being annihi- 
lated, our situation is more inconvenient than before." 

Amherst folloAved with a counter petition, in wliicli it was 
stated, — " Tliat for more than twenty years bast past a number 
of persons living on those lands lately known l)y the name of 
Monson, but more lately joined to Amherst, not having a min- 
ister settled among them nor accommodation sufficient for that 
purpose, as they said, very constantly attended the worship of 
God with us in said Amherst, not doing anything with us 
towards our meeting-house, nor towards the support of our 
minister, except some small private donations made to our 
minister. However, they repeatedly requested our town to 
consent to receive them, promising to meet at any place that 
the major part of the people should fix to build a house on, 
whereupon our town, after repeated solicitations to receive 
them, gave their consent. And your excellency and honors, 
some time in July last, saw fit to aggregate about one half of 
said Monson to said Amherst. Soon after, our town saw it nec- 
essary to build a meeting-house, and voted to do it, our present 
meeting-house being small and insufficient for the old town and 
said new addition. The most of the people of the new addition 
were present, and some voted in the affirmative, some in the 
negative ; but they began to think that the charter subjected 
them to the same duties with us of the old town, tliat they 
must defray some part of the charges of building and so forth, 
and not only so, but must do sometliing towaixls supporting 
our minister. These reflections aiFected some of them very 
sensibly. They had not been acquainted with anything of the 
kind. They were ready to construe it as a degree of persecu- 
tion and the like. And to remedy this evil they are about peti- 
tioning to have our town, as it now lies, divided into two 
l^arishes, which we think can not be done without a manifest 
injury to more than three quarters of the town. A very consid- 
erable quantity of land in our town is barren ^nd poor, and will 
not admit of two parishes ; besides, it lies in such a situation by 
I'eason of a river and hills, that the whole of tlie people may 
more conveniently meet at one jilace, the place pitched upon, 
than at any two places in the town." 



17 



No action was taken by the state authorities upon cither of 
these petitions, and quiet seems to liave been restored. The 
new meeting-house was built and dedicated, tlie Avorshi})pers 
gathered in this new sanctuary froni all parts of the town, and 
the continuous exercises of yesterday and to-day, after the lapse 
of a century, are a fitting recognition of that event. 

THE SOUTH-WEST PARISH. 

In the year 1782 forty-seven persons, as follows, viz.. 



Nathan Hutchinson, 
Andrew Bradford, 
Josiah Crosby, 
Sampson Crosby, 
James Gilman, 
Thomas Burns, 
Isaac Abbott, 
Elisha Hutchinson, 
Benjamin Hutchinson, 
Josiah Crosby, Jr., 
John Wallace, 
Stephen Crosby, 
Augustus Blanchard, 
John Burns, 
William Crosby, 
Joiin Bradford, 
Thaddeus Grimes, 
Israel Burnham, 
John Grimes, 
Nathan Hutchinson, Jr., 
Bartholomew Hutchinson, 
David Burnham, 
Arthur Graham, 



William Wallace, 
Ebenezer Averill, 
Moses Averill, 
Joshua Burnham, 
Stephen Burnham, 
Jonathan Hutchinson, 
Abner Hutchinson, 
William Peabody, 
Elijah Averill, 
Ebenezer Hopkins, 
Jonathan Grimes, 
George Burns, 
William Grimes, 
Darius Abbott, 
Samuel How, 
Jonathan Towne, 
Plenry Codman, 
William Melendy, 
Samuel Dodge, 
Bartholomew Towne, 
Benjamin Hopkins, Jr., 
Benjamin Conant, 
Benjamin Hopkins, 3d, 



Samuel Graham, 
were constituted the third or south-west parish in Amherst, 
" for transacting ministerial affairs only." The reason assigned 
by the incorporators for the formation of this parish was, that 
their local situation rendered it impracticable for some of them 
and many of their children to give a general attendance at the 
• 2 



18 

etated place of public worship, and, furtlier, that they conceived 
they could well be spared, there being about three hundred 
ratable polls taxed to the first parish. There was no boundary 
to the new parish, neither were the members exempt from 
former obligations, one condition being, that nothing in its or- 
ganization should be construed to exempt any of said ])arish- 
ioners, their polls or estates, from paying their just proportion of 
all ministerial charges already arisen in said town of Amherst, 
nor from the future support, according to contract, of the Rev. 
Daniel Wilkins, the late minister of said town then living.* 
The date of incorporation was November 23, and the first meet- 
ing was held at the house of Thaddeus Grimes, on the four- 
teenth day of the next January. At this meeting Capt. Nathan 
Hutchinsonf was chosen moderator; Augustus Blanchard, cl«rk 
and treasurer ; Augustus Blanchard, Lieut. Thomas Burns, and 
Capt. John Bradford, assessors; and Benjamin Hutchinson, col- 
lector; — and it was " voted to build a meeting-house of the same 
size and bigness the nortli-west parish hath built, except the 
porches," and that Lieut. Darius Abbott, Capt. Josiah Crosby, 
and Capt. Andrew Bradford be a committee to provide timber, 
boards, and shingles, and let the same out at public vendue to 
the lowest bidder." At the first annual meeting of the parish, 
liolden at the house of Thaddeus Grimes, iunholder, on the 
fourth day of March, 1783, it was voted to raise £32 4s. to dis- 
charge the expense of the parish being set off, £95 to be laid 
out in purchasing timber, boards, shingles, and other materials 
for building the meeting-house, £15 to pay for preaching the 
current year, and that Capt Nathan Hutchinson, Lieut. Thomas 
Burns, and Capt. John Bradford be a committee to hire preach- 
ing. Later in the same year another meeting was called to 

*The Rev. Daniel Wilkins at this time was aged and infirm, had been settled up- 
wards of forty years, and lived only three months after the formation of this parish, 
dying February 11, 1783, in the seventy-third year of his age. 

t Capt. Nathan Hutchinson, a very active and etiicient man in town and pari.sh 
affairs, was son of Benjamin and Sarah (TarboU) Hutchinson, of Bedford, Middlesex 
county, Mass., and married Rachel Stearns. In 1744 he purcliased of Benjamin Hop- 
kins one hundred acres of land, near the centre of the Charlestown school farm, — 
bounded north by the river, south by the south line of said farm, of equal width at 
each end, also bounded by a black oak on Saddle hill. He came here from Billerica 
in June, 1748, located on Elm street, where B. D. Searles now resides, and died June 12, 
1795, aged 78 years. His widow died on the 25th of July, in the same year, aged 
76 years. , 



19 

make choice of a place Avhere the meeting-house should be 
erected, and make provision for clearing the same. After ad- 
journing from the house of Mr. Grimes to the place regarded as 
the most desirable location, it was voted that the house should 
stand about twenty rods south of Shepard's bridge, on a rise of 
ground. This vote would have located the meeting-house on 
what are now the premises of Doctor S. S. Stickney. At a meet- 
ing held still later this year, Capt. Nathan Hutchinson, John 
Wallace, and John Burns were chosen a committee to ])rocure 
stone for underpinning the meeting-house, and Joshua Burnham 
was authorized to purchase a "parish book." 

At the annual meeting, holden March 2, 1784, it was voted to 
proceed with the meeting-house, and to begin to frame it the 
first Monday in June, and raise it as soon as possible. Cnpt. 
Nathan Hutchinson, Capt. Josiah Crosby, and Capt. Andrew 
Bradford were chosen a committee to see that the meeting-house 
is framed, underpinned, and raised. It was also voted to raise 
£30 towards the expense of the meeting-house — £20 to pay for 
preaching; that three shillings per day be allowed each man for 
work on the meeting-house, — the laborer to board himself; and 
that any person who shall hei-eafter join the parish, shall be 
exempt from any tax raised, to raise, board, and shingle the 
meeting-house. For some reason, not discernible at this time, 
the location that had been fixed upon did not prove satisflictory, 
for, at a special meeting held on tiie 15th day of June, it was 
decided that it should be located about ten rods north-west from 
the former place, between two pitch pine stumps; that Augustus 
Blanchard, Lieut. Thomas Burns, Joshua Burnham, Capt. John 
Bradford, and Lieut. Benjamin Hutchinson, be a committee to 
carry on the work, and that said committee provide one barrel of 
rum, two barrels of cider, and one quarter of sugar for the rais- 
ing. Thus, it would seem that the meeting-house was raised in 
the summer of 1784, for, on the second day of September of this 
year, a special meeting was called, and the second article in the 
warrant was to see if the parishioners would board, shingle, or 
finish any part of the meeting-house frame, — when it was A'Oted 
to board and shingle it; that it be boarded with square edged 
boards, and that the boarding and shingling be let to the lowest 
bidder at vendue. At the same meeting, it was voted to raise 



20 

£40 to defray the expense of furthur finishing the meeting-house ; 
and Lieut. Thomas Burns and Lieut. Darius Abbott were chosen 
a committee to wait upon Governor Hopkins, and get the dona- 
tion he hath offered to procure the nails. It was common among 
our ancestors in Enghxnd, and continues to the present time, of 
denominating the chief man, or the man at the head of promi- 
nent movements or estabhsliments, as the governor;* and the 
title, in this case, must liave been derived in this way. In 
1659, the general court of Massachusetts granted to tlie town 
of Charlestown 1,000 acres of land, from the unappropriated 
lands of the province, for the support of a school. The next 
year it was surveyed by that celebrated land surveyor, Jonathan 
Danforth, of Billerica, and described thus: — "Laid out, for the 
use of the school of Charlestown, one thousand acres of land, 
more or less in the wilderness, on the western side of Merrimack 
river, at a place commonly called by the Indians, Sowheaganucke, 
beginning at the foot of a great hill, and so extending eastward 
about two miles down said rivei', and bounded by the river on 
the north, and by land laid out for Mrs. Anna Cole on the east, 
the wilderness elsewhere surrounding according to marked 
trees, all of wliich are sufficiently bounded with C, and is more 
fully demonstrated by a platt taken of the same.'' f The title of 
Indians was extinguished by deed, dated July 14, 1671.$ The 
north-west corner of this tract of land was on the south bank of 
the river, a few rods below the new bridge at Jones's crossing, 
and was identical with the north-west corner of Old Dunstable, 
the north-west corner of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, for 
more than sixty years, and the north-west corner of the late 
town of Monson. This tract extended down the river to the 
present east line of the farm of William Ramsdell, and no more 
attractive piece of land of the same magnitude exists in this 
region. The town of Charlestown continued to own it till 
May, 1743, when it was purchased by Benjamin Hopkins, of 
Billerica, for £375, and as early as 1745 he resided on it. A 
saw-mill is a necessity in a new settlement, and he early built 

* Tilt' translators of the Bible observed it, in James 3:4. 

t Mass. General Court Records. 

X Middlesex County Registry of Deeds. 



21 

one upon Whitehall brook, a little west of where the house of 
Moses Proctor now stands ; and, if any one will proceed into 
the field, about fifty rods northerly of the house of Luke Smith, 
to a little point of land on the border of the brook, overlooking 
the river and the intervale, and remove the turf, he will occa- 
sionally find in the soil a small piece of brick or stone that has 
once been in a chimney, a wall, or a fire-place, indicating that a 
dwelling once stood there. It was on this spot in the wilder- 
ness, with nothing to guide him but marked trees, that Mr. 
Hopkins erected his bullet-proof dwelling — a kind of fort, built 
of timber, to protect himself and family from the fierce beasts of 
the forest, and fiercer men. On the north side of the river lived 
William Peabody, John Shepard, and Israel Towne; on the 
south side his nearest neighbor was in the west parish of Dun- 
stable, now Hollis; and his oldest son married Anna Powers, 
the first white child born in that town* Such is a brief out- 
line of one who had, by universal consent, acquired the title of 
Governor,! and who, after a residence of upwards of forty years in 
the neighborhood, was making a donation to purchase the nails 
for the new meeting-house. At a subsequent meeting, in No- 
vember, it was voted to provide clapboards, door-steps, boards 
for the lower floor, sashes, suitable stuff for window-frames, 
and glass, and that Capt. Nathan Hutchinson, Capt. William 
Peabody, and Capt. Josiah Crosby be a committee to provide 
the materials voted, and see that they are delivered at the meet- 
ing-house. 

At the annual meeting holden on the 1st day of March, 1785, 
it was voted to raise £50 to be laid out on the meeting-house, 
and to raise £30 to hire preaching and defray parish charges. 
On the 7th day of the same month there was a special 
meeting called, and the second article in the warrant was to see 
if the parishioners will build porches to the meeting-house, or 
let any person or persons build the same for the ground the 
same may save in the house. At this meeting it Avas voted to 
build porches, and a committee was chosen for that purpose, 

* Narrative of the venerable John Hopkins in 1840. 

t He died June 11, 1787, aged 85 years; and his widow died July 30, 1792, aged 93 
years. 



22 

and instructed to have the work done as soon as tlie other out- 
side work on the house was completed. At tlie same meeting 
William Peabody, Benjamin Hopkins, and Joshua Burnhani 
Avere chosen a committee to hire preaching the current year. 
At another special meeting, held on the 25th of* April, Nathan 
Hutchinson, Augustus Blanchard, and Thomas Burns were 
chosen a committee to sell the pew-ground in the meeting- 
house, at public vendue, to the highest bidder, and give proper 
conveyances to the purchasers, and that the money arising from 
the sale be laid out in further finisliing the meeting-house. It 
was also voted to put in all the joist and braces in the meet- 
ing-house not already in, and that John Burns be allowed 23 
shillings lawful money for doing the same. 

A still further special meeting was held on the 5th of Septem- 
ber, when it was voted to lay the lower floor, and to let the 
same out at vendue to the lowest bidder, and it was struck off 
to Thomas Boynton at thirty-nine shillings. Thomas Burns, 
Nathan Hutchinson, and John Wallace were chosen a commit- 
tee to procure projier floor nails, see that the sills were properly 
underpinned, and the floors laid in a good workmanlike man- 
ner. On the 25th day of December, another special meeting 
was held, when it was decided to have the sashes, window- 
frames, doors, body seats, and stuff for the body seats, put up at 
vendue, to be bid off by the lowest bidder. Nathan Hutchinson, 
Caleb Jones, and Josiah Crosby Avere chosen a committee to 
vendue the work off, to procure at the expense of the parish all 
the necessary materials for doing the work, and to see that it 
was done in a good workmanlike manner, — the work to be com- 
pleted by the first day of next June. The sashes were bid ofl" 
by Thomas Boynton, at 15s. 2d. old tenor; the window frames, by 
David Chandler at 8s. lid.; front door, by Benjamin Conant at 
20s.; the body seats and stufl' for the same, by Nathan Hutch- 
inson. 

A warrant was issued for an annual meeting to be held on the 
7th day of March, 1786; the fourth article therein being to see 
if the parishioners would finish the outside of the meeting-house 
or any part thereof; and the fifth was to see if they would have 
the £40, voted at the last annual meeting to be laid out on the 



23 

meeting-liouse, assessed and collected ; but the records contain 
no reference to this meeting. There was, however, a special 
meeting held on the fourth of September in this year, when it 
Avas voted to acce|)t the plan of Tem])le meeting-liouse porches 
and build in the same form, and also voted to procure glass and 
glazing materials for the meeting-house. At the annual meeting 
in Miirch, 1787, there was no allusion to the meeting-house, but 
£30 was voted for the su])port of preaching. At a meeting in 
September of this year, a committee was chosen to get the glass 
set, and the sashes put in the window-frames, and £10 was voted 
to set the front-door steps, clear round the meeting-house, and 
level the ground before said house. 

The year 1788 was an eventful one in parish affairs. William 
Crosby gave the parish the following described pieces of land, 
viz. : " Beginning at the south-west corner of Shepard's bridge, 
thence running southerly on the west side of the road leading 
from said bridge to my house,* until it comes to the main road 
that leads from my house to Wilton, to a stake and stones ; 
from thence westerly on' the north side of said road about eight 
rods to a white oak stump ; thence northerly to a black oak 
tree marked, standing on the bank of Souhegan river; from 
thence by said river to the place of beginning, being the land 
the meeting-house stands on. Also, one other piece, to be ap- 
propriated for a burying-ground, on the west part of my farm, 
bounded as follows, viz. : Beginning at a large white pine tree 
standing on the bank of the river a few rods north of the ditch 
bridge (so called) ; from thence east thirteen rods to a stake 
and stones ; from thence south twelve rods to a stake and 
stones ; from thence west until it comes to the river ; and from 
thence by the river to the bound first mentioned, containing 
about one acre." These were parts of a tract of land of 500 
acres granted in October, 1659, by the General Court of Massa- 
chusetts to Mrs. Anna Cole. The record reads thus: "In 
consideration of the liberal tjifts to the country in the will of 



*The first house erected on Union square— was raised in 1783, was occupied early in 
the present century by Dr. Robert Fuller, was known for many years as the old Fuller 
house, stood where the town hall now stands, and was removed to make room for that 
structure. 



24 

Capt. Robert Keayne,* the whole court met together and voted," 
&c. At the date of the grant she was the widow of Capt. 
Keayne, but the next year became the wife of Samuel Cole. 
This tract was bounded on the north by the river 350 rods, and 
extended from the west line of the present farm of Matthias F. 
Crosby on Elm street down the river, near to the steam-mill of 
David Heald. In 1780, Josiah Crosby, in consideration of three 
hundred bushels of grain, two thirds Indian corn and one third 
rye, purchased 113 acres in the north-east corner of this tract, 
extending on the river from near the steam-mill, before men- 
tioned, up a little above the west corner of the old cemetery. 
In 1782 he sold the same to his son William, and in the first of 
these conveyances it is referred to as part of the tract belonging 
to Mather Byles.f 



* Robert Keayne, merchant of London, came over in the ship Defence in 1635, aged 
40 years, with his wife Ann, aged 33 years, and son Benjamin, aged 16 years. He is 
characterized by Winthrop as " a man of eminent parts, an ancient professor of the 
gospel, coming over for its advancement and for conscience' salve, as wealthy, given to 
hospitality, very useful to the country, and a large cofitributor to its free schools." He 
was one of the founders and the first captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery 
Company, was four times a representative of the town of Boston, and once speaker of 
the House of Deputies. Notwitlistanding his virtues and usefulness, he became obnox- 
ious on account of selling dearer than the law allowed, for which offence, after solemn 
trial, he was convicted and fined .£250. His will occupies 148 folio pages of the probate 
records of Suffolk county, Massachusetts, in which he vindicates his character with a 
pathos indicative of a keen sense of the injustice to which he had been subjected, 
adding "that though he had suflered enough from the public to tie up both his hands, 
yet being desirous to requite evil with good, and though lie cannot forget, being willing 
to forgive, and deeming it a want of gratitude to God for prosperous men to leave all 
to wife, children, or relatives, and nothing to the public or to charity," he proceeds to 
give il20) to objects of public use or private charity, included in which were i;250 to 
Harvard college. 

t Mather Byles was born in Boston, March 26, 1706, and on his mother's side was 
descended from Richard Mather and John Cotton ; was graduated at Harvard Univer- 
sity, in 1725, and ordained the first pastor of Hollis Street church in 1733. His first 
wife was a niece of Governor Belcher, the second a daughter of Lieutenant-Governor 
Tailer, and it is probable this land came to him by inheritance. He continued his pas- 
torate till 1776, when, on account of disloyalty, the connection was dissolved and never 
renewed. The next year he was denounced in town meeting, subsequently tried, 
found guilty of attachment to the royal cause, sentenced to confinement, and with his 
family to be sent to England. This sentence was never enforced, and he died in Bos- 
ton, July 5, 1788, having received the degree of D. D. from Aberdeen University in 
1765. 

He was distinguished among his contemporaries for his wit, his solid learning, and 
his excellent literary taste. Pope, Lansdowne, and Watts were his correspondents, and 
many of his witticisms have come down to us. On one occasion, when required to 
remain in his house under guard, he persuaded the sentinel to go on an errand for 



25 

The month following the gift of tlie land, the parisli voted 
"to ceil round the meeting-house as high as the windows; to 
case, make, and hang the end-doors, lay the platforms for the 
pews on the lower floor, and case tlie lower windows;" and the 
south-west corner, from the front to the west door, including the 
west door, ceiling, casing, and laying the platforms, was let to 
Joshua Burnham for 39s. ; the south-east corner, from the front 
door to the east door, including the east door, the ceiling, cas- 
ing, and laying the platforms, was let, to Josiah Crosby for 41s.; 
from the east door to the west door round the north side, the 
ceiling, casing, and laying the platforms was let to John Wal- 
lace for 51s.; the platforms for the pews in the inside square was 
let to Jotham Shepard for 19s., the work being let by vendue to 
the lowest bidder, the boards and nails for all the work and the 
hinges for the doors to be found by the parish. At a special 
meeting called in September, the parish further voted to finish 
the whole meeting-house ; and Augustus Blanchard, Thomas 
Burns, and Josiah Crosby were chosen a committee of tlie pew- 
ground in the galleries, and lay the same before the parisli on the 
29th inst., to which time the meeting was adjourned. At the ad- 
journed meeting, the plan of the committee was accepted, and 
they were authorized to sell the pews at public vendue to the 
highest bidder, and apply the proceeds to the further finishing of 
the house; and as it might be necessary to give the committee fur- 
ther instructions, the meeting adjourned to the 13th of October. 
At this meeting the pews were sold, and the stuif and material 
for finishing the house " vendued" to the following persons, they 
being the lowest bidders, namely, — to Josiah Crosby, jr., 2 M 
laths at 7s. each, and 1 M feet merchantable boards at 18s.; 
Augustus Blanchard, 2 hhds. lime at 24s. 6d. each ; Joseph Wal- 
lace, 2 M laths at 7s. each ; Stephen Crosby, 3 M laths at 7s., 



him, promising to perform sentinel's duty in his absence. To the great amusement of 
his neiglibors he gravely marched before his own door with musket on his shoulder 
till his keeper returned, and when inquired of in relation to his occupation, said he 
was guarding Mather Byles. After his trial, in alluding to the fact that he liad been 
put under guard, the guard removed, and then again replaced, he observed tliat he had 
been guarded, re-guarded and disregarded. In 1780, on the celebrated dark day, a 
lady who resided near the doctor sent her young son to him to know if he could 
account for the uncommon appearance. His reply was, " Give my compliments to 
your mamma, and fell her I am as much in the dark as she is." 



26 

1 M feet boards at 18s., and 2 hhds. lime at 24s. each ; Isaac 
Abbott, 2 M latlis at 7s. each, 3 hhds. lime at 24s.; Andrew 
Bradford, jr., 1 M laths, 7s.; Caleb Jones, 1 M feet 1^ in. white 
pine boards, 1 M feet incli do. — do. clear stuff for .the work in- 
tended; Daniel Johnson, 1 M feet merchantable boards, 18s.; 
Josiah Osgood, 1 M do., 18s., 2 corner girths, 12 by 14 inches; 
Joshua Crosby, one half M white pine boards for ceiling, 9s. ; 
Jacob Hale, .500 feet pine plank 2 in. thick 14 in. wide, IGs. ; 100 
feet pine plank, 3 in. thick, 14 in. wide, at 4s. ; 400 slitwork, 3 by 
4 in., at 8s., and hhd. lime, 25s.; hewed white pine timber, 6 by 
7 in., suitable length for the gallery breast- work, sills for the 
seats and studs at 8s. 6d. ; Thomas Burns, 2 hhds. lime, 25s. each. 

In December the parish voted to agree with Mr. Thurston or 
some other minister to preacli six months during the year next 
ensuing. 

At the annual meeting, in 1789, it was voted to raise £36 to 
pay for jn-eaching and defray parish expenses; that twelve feet 
in the front of the gallery be appropriated for a pew for the 
singers ; that ten pounds be laid out in work round the meeting- 
house, '• and that John Burns, Caleb Jones, and Benjamin 
Conant be a committee to see the work done. In October it 
was voted to enlarge the singers' pew, and that it be seventeen 
feet, and no longer." At the annual meeting, the next year, it 
was voted to build and sell two pews of six feet front each, at 
each end of the singers' pew in the gallery, and that the pews 
be built at the ex]iense of the parish. 

In January, 1791, at a special meeting, the question of having 
the parish set off by lines was agitated, and a committee was 
appointed to treat with the first parish for the following lines, 
viz., — " Begin at the north-east corner of Ebenezer Averill's 
land, and running southerly, including Andrew and John Brad- 
ford's intact, William Peabody's, the widow Shepard, Jotham 
and Daniel Shepard and John Shepard, Esq., until it comes to 
Souhegan river, then down said river to Merrimack west line, 
including all belonging to Amherst, on the south side of said 
river." At the annual meeting this year, it was voted to raise 
£40 to pay for preaching, and to defray parish expenses ; but 
there was nothing in the warrant relative to the parish being 



27 

" set off by lines." In June, however, a special meeting was 
calleil, when not only the question of the parish being set off by 
lines was agitated, but the question of being set oif as 
a separate town was considered, and it was voted to petition 
the General Court, as soon as may be, to be set oft' by lines or a 
separate town ; and a committee, consisting of Joshua Burnham, 
Josiah Crosby, Augustus Blanchard, Thomas Burns, and Porter 
Luramus, were appointed for that purpose, and £12 appropriat- 
ed to pay their expenses.* 

At the annual meeting, in 1792, it was voted to raise £60 to 
pay for preaching, and defray parish expenses, and in June, of 
this year, the parish was incorporated, by the name of .the south- 
west parish, in Amherst, and boundaries fixed thereto. In 
October, it was voted to sell the remaining pews at public ven- 
due, apply the money arising from such sale to the i)ainting 
and further finishing the meeting-house, and a committee was 
appointed to give a title to the pews sold. At the annual meet- 
ing, the next year, the parish voted to raise £55 to pay for 
preaching, and to defray parish expenses, and that the funds 
of former collectors be applied "to the further finishing and 
painting the meeting-house," 

Thus we see that it took upwards of ten years of continuous 
struggle for the parishioners to complete their house of worship, 
— a struggle that we of to-day can scarcely comprehend. Nearly 
forty years since, a venerable man then living, one of the found- 
ers of the church and an active worker in this enterprise, was 
asked by the speaker what year the meeting-house was com- 
pleted, to which he replied, " We scarcely knew when it was 
completed ourselves, for at no time during the work did we have 
any clear conception of what would constitute a finished house. 
We worshipped in Col. Shepard's barn,t and when the meeting- 

*The parish not only took this step to be set olT, but in October, 1793, voted to peti- 
tion the General Court in connection with the mile slip, Duxbury school larm, and a 
part of Uollis, to be set otT as a separate town, and in Jan., 1794, these several parcels 
of territory were made a separate town, and incoiporated by tlie name of Milibrd. 

t To us, worshipping in the comfortable if not luxurious houses of to-day, holding a 
meeting in a barn seems an absurdity, — yet an inquiry into the practices of the early 
settlers shows that this was no uncommon thing; and a sermon preached in the barn of 
Major Cole, of Mont Veruou, by Kev. Mr. Coggin, of Clielmsford, Mass., upon the 
importance of building a meeting-house iu that parish, was an effective instrumentality 
in accomplishing that work. 



28 



house was so far finished that we could hold meetings in it, we 
thought we had accomplislied a great work. We were poor, our 
means necessarily limited, frequently divided in council, and 
nothing but the privilege, for ourselves and our children, of wor- 
shipping God in his sanctuary could have held us together and 
induced us to complete the work." Truly was it said yesterday, 
in the excellent historical discourse to which most of us listened, 
"people do not move into the forests, clear for themselves home- 
steads in the solitudes of the wilderness, and take on themselves 
the burden of building meeting-houses and sustaining ministers, 
without deep convictions of the value of the gospel." 

CHURCH ORGANIZED, 

The church in this parish, denominated the third church in 
Amherst, was organized by an ecclesiastical council, Nov. 19, 
1788.* The council consisted of Jonathan Livermore,t Abiel 
Fiske,t John Bruce,|| Moses Putnam, Ebenezer Rockwood, Rich- 
ard Ward, Daniel Mansfield, and William Bradford. 

In the proceedings of the council twelve persons are named 
as constituting the church, viz. : 



Organized. 


Organized, 


1763 


Hancock, 


17S8 


1769 


Wilfoid, 


1788 


1771 


Weare, 


1789 


1771 


Dee ring, 


1789 


1772 


Greenfield, 


1791 


1772 


Brookline, 


1796 


1773 


Peterborough, 


1799 


1780 







*Tlie clmrclies organized in Hillsborough county, previous to the commencement of 
the present century, are as follows:— 
Organized. 

Nashua, 1685 Wilton, 

Hudson, 1737 Hillsborough, 

Amherst, 1741 Goffstown, 

Litchfield, 1741 Temple, 

Hollis, 1743 Merrimack, 

Pelliam, 1751 Mason, 

Lyndeborough, 1757 Francestown, 

New Ipswich, 1761 Mont Vernon, 

fRev. Jonathan Livermore, a native of Northborough, Worcester county, Mass., 
born in 1739, was graduated at Harvard college in 1700; was the first minister of 
Wilton, being ordained there in 1703. He sustained tlie pastoral relation in that place 
about fifteen years, when he was dismis.sed, but did not leave town, remaining till his 
death, which occurred July 20, 1809, aged 79 years. 

tRev. Abel Fiske was born at Pepperell, Mass., May 28, 1752; was graduated at 
Harvard college in 1774; taught the Grammar school, and studied divinity at Concord, 
Mass.; was ordained at Wilton in November, 1778, and was pastor of the church till his 
death, which took place April 21, 1802, at the age of 50 years. 

llRev. John Bruce, the first minister in Mont VernoUj was born at Marlborough, 
Mass., in 1757; entered Dartmouth college at the age of about twenty years; was gradu- 
ated in 1781; was settled in 1785, and continued his pastorate till his death, which 
occurred March 12, 1809. 



29 

Steplien Buniiiam, Thomas Burns, 

Caleb Jones, Jonatlian Townc, 

Elisha Hutcliinson, Benjamin Conant, 

John Wallace, Benjamin Hutchinson, 

Joseph Wallace, William Melcndy, 

Nathan Hutchinson, Jonathan Jones. 

Attached to the covenant are seven additional names, viz.: 

James Wallace, Letitia Wallace, 

Hannah Bradford, Mary Wallace, 

Mary Burnham, Betsy Wallace. 
Sarah Hutchinson, 

The first meeting was held at the house of William Crosby * 
soon after the organization, when Elisha Hutchinson was chosen 
Clerk, which office he held till his death. f At this meeting an 
examining committee was chosen, and it was decided that 
applicants for admission might relate their religious experience 
verbally or in writing, and that no persons should be admitted 
who would not come up to the standard of full communion. 
The next year several meetings were held, but they related 
solely to the discipline of a member. Then follows a period of 
nearly six years in which no meeting seems to have been held, 
at the expiration of which time the church and town concurred 
in giving "Mr. Kiah Bailey" a call, the vote in the joint body 
being forty-nine for, and thirty against. Subsequently, the 

* William Crosby, the benefactor of the parish, — whose house seems to have been open 
tor parish, church, and other meetings, whenever business vital to the welfare of the 
body politic was to be considered, — was a descendant of Simon Crosby, aged 26 years, 
who, with his wife Ann, aged 25 years, and tlieir sou Thomas, aged 8 weeks, and came to 
this country in the ship Susan and Ellen in 1635 {" Founders of New England," page 22), 
settled in Cambridge, near where Harvard college is now located, and was the son of 
Josiah and Sarah (Fitch) Crosby, who came here from Billerica in 1753, and located on 
the opposite side of the road near wliere the late Frederic Crosby lived. He was born 
Jan. 29, 1758; married Sarah, daughter of John Shepard; and died esteemed and 
respected, May 12, 1831, aged 73 years. His younger brother Asa, who was born July 15, 
1765, and who died at Hanover, April 12, 1836, was the father of Hon. Nathan Crosby 
of Lowell, Dr. Josiah Crosby of Manchester, the late Dr. Dixi ('rosby of Hanover, 
Prof. Alpheus Crosby of Salem, and the late Trof. Thomas Russell Crosby of Hanover. 

t Elisha Hutchinson, grandfather of the famous "Hutchinson family" of vocalists, 
was the son of Joseph and Hannah (Richardson) Hutchinson ; was born at Middleton, 
Essex county, Mass., Dec. 6, 1751; married Sarah, daughter of Amos and Mary Buxton 
of Danvers; settled here, in 1779, on the farm, in the north part of the town, now in 
possession of Dodge G. Hartshorn, and died Oct. 12, 1800, aged 49 years. 



30 

town rion-concuned in the movement. The next year, 1796, 
tlie cliurcli and the town concurred in giving Mr. Phincas Ran- 
dall a call to settle with them in the work of the ministry, but 
Mr. Randall did not accept. Then follows a period of nearly 
two years, when no meeting was held, after which Rev. Abel 
Fiske, of Wilton, Avas elected Standing Moderator, and a com- 
mittee chosen to give information to the members whenever a 
church meeting should be appointed by the moderator. About 
this time the town voted, seventy-six to thirty-one, to give Mr. 
Nath'l II. Fletcher* a call, but the church did not concur. At this 
time the church had been organized nearly ten years, but 
its existence must have been merely nominal. It could only 
have lived in name, as no deacons had been chosen, nor mem- 
bers admitted either by letter or by the profession of their 
foith, and there is no record indicating that a communion season 
had been observed. In March, 1798, the question of receiving 
members by letters from other churches was considered, and in 
April it was decided in the affirmative, and nineteen members 
were thus received, five being from the church in Amherst, two 
from the second church in Amherst, six from the church in 
Wilton, three from the church in Billerica, two from the church 
in Dracut, and one from the church in Durham. It was also 
voted at the same meeting to have the sacrament of the Lord's 
Supper administered twice during the coming season, and two 
persons were appointed to wait on the table. Two additional 
persons were also chosen for the purpose of conversing with 
those who should apply for admission, and the moderator was in- 
structed to call a meeting at any time, at the request of 
any seven members. In August, 1799, a meeting was held to 
consider the question of giving Mr. Micah Stone a call, but it 



* Nathaniel Hill Fletcher, son of Deacon Abel and Abigail (Hildreth) Fletcher, was 
born at Boxborough, Middlesex county, Mass., April 16, 1769; was graduated at Har- 
vard University in 1793; received the honorary degree of A.M. at Brown University 
in 1799; was settled at Wells, Me., in ISOO; was married February 8, 1801, to Sarah, 
daughter of John Storer, of the same place; and, after a ministry of 27 years, resigned 
his pastorate and returned to Boxborough, where he died Sept. 4, 1834. Several of 
his sermons were publislied, among whicli was one delivered at Deerfleld, in this state, 
in 1812, at the ordination of Kev. Nathaniel Wells; a Thanksgiving sermon, delivered in 
Massachu.setts, in November of the same year; one delivered at the funeral of Rev. 
Paul Cofliu, D. D., of Buxton, Me., June 8, 1821; and one on Christian communion, 
ia 1827. 



31 

was regarded as inexpedient. In the year 1800 ^ho clnirch, 
fifteen of the nineteen members present, voted to invite Mr. 
Thomas Beede to become their pastor, and the town concurred, 
proposing $566 as a settlement to be paid within one year after 
the ordination, an annual salary of $383 while he supplied the 
desk, and |110 annually during his residence in town, after he 
should be unable to supply the desk ; and the next year a 
unanimous call of the church was extended to Mr. Joshua Lane. 
It would be interesting at the present time to know what were 
the hindrances to the settlement of the various candiilates, and 
how the matter in each case was treated by the parties in in- 
terest ; but the I'ecords are silent on the subject. 

In March, 1802, the church, nineteen members being present, 
invited Kev. Humphrey Moore to settle with them in the gospel 
ministry. The town concurred, in April, and chose a commit- 
tee of fifteen to determine what settlement and salary was 
proper to offer Mr. Moore for his services in the ministry. This 
committee, after the consideration of the matter for one hour, 
reported $600 as a settlement to be paid, or to become due in 
one year after the ordination, $400 as an annual salary, and a 
gratuity of ^100 jier annum while he should remain their minister, 
and be unable, through infirmity or old age, to sup])ly the desk. 
In August, Mr. Moore gave an answer in the afiirmative, and 
on the 13th day of the following October he was ordained, the 
exercises on the occasion being, — 

1. Anthem. 

2. Introductory Prayer, by Rev. Ebenezer Hill, of Mason. 

3. Sermon, Luke ix, 60, by Rev. Elijah Dunbar, of Peterboro'. 

4. Ordaining ]-*rayer, by Rev. Jacob Burnap, of Merrimack. 

5. Charge, by Rev. Jeremiah Barnard, of Amherst. 

6. Concluding Prayer, by Rev. Lemuel Wadsworth, of Brook- 
line. 

7. Benediction by the pastor. 

With the settlement of the new pastor, a brighter day dawn- 
ed upon the church. The month following, a confession of faith 
was adopted, deacons chosen,* and stated communion seasons 

*. Moses Tovvne and Benjamin French were chosen, neither of whom accepted, and at 
the next meeting, holden in May, 1803, John Wallace and William Lovejoy were chosen, 
and entered upon their duties. 



SQ 



agreed upou ; steps indicating faithful, earnest work. At the 
time of the ordination, the church had been in existence about 
fourteen years, but liad had no additions except on one occasion, 
and then by letter. The subsequent year witnessed the mem- 
bership doubled, thirty-two being added on profession of their 
faith, and seven by letters from other cliurches. 

Of the pastorate of Mr. Moore, extending over a third part 
of a century, I need not speak.* It is in part if not in whole 
within tlie memory of many present. The 335 additions to the 
church during his ministry testify to the diligence and faithful- 
ness of his labors, and are evidence of consecration to his chosen 
work. And in conclusion, let me add tliat, in what I have said 
to-day, I have endeavored to let the fathers speak in their own 
language, revealing their characters in their own words, supply- 
ing no motives, and purposely abstaining from comments, that 
we might, unprejudiced, commend what was commendable and 
noble in their lives ; and if, amid their trials, their sufferings, and 
sacrifices, we discovered mistakes in method, what was little in 
character, or want of devout affection for one another, it might 
be earnestly deplored, and avoided in our own experience. 

*Eev. Humphrey Moore was dismissed March 9,1836; remained in the parish, and 
died Apiil 8, 1871, in the 93d year of his age. The following named pastors have suc- 
ceeded him : — 

Rev. J. W. Salter was installed April 27, 1836; dismissed Oct. 24, 1838. 

Kev. Abnbk B. Warner was ordained Feb. 6, 1839; dismissed Oct. 27, 1846. 

Kev. Ltcurgus p. Kimball was installed May 19, 1847; dismissed Aug. 7, 1849. 

Kev. E. N. Hidden was installed Nov. 21, 1849; dismissed April 7, 1858. 

Rev. S. C. Kendall was installed April 7, 1858; dismissed Oct. 15, 1860. 

Rev. F. D. Ayer was ordained May 1, 1861 ; dismissed Sept. 8, 1867. 

Rev. Geo. E. Freeman was installed Dec. 23, 1868; dismissed Dec. 14, 1871. 

Rev. George Fierce, Jr., was installed Oct. 29, 1872. 










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